A German mother-of-pearl black slate inlaid table top late 17th century, by Franz de Hamilton

the shaped top elaborately inlaid with engraved mother-of-pearl floral wreaths and insects, signed 'F. de Hamilton', restorations

This top of exceptional quality has been broken and restored with the break lines visible in the catalogue photo. Some damaged inlays have been re-filled with engraved paste. One side re-cut to adapt to a later base. For all sales which take place on or after 1 February 2015, please note that the rate of buyer's premium for each lot (charged as a percentage of the hammer price achieved for that lot) has been revised and shall be calculated at the thresholds set out below: Buyer's premium is 25% of the hammer price up to and including £100,000; Buyer's premium is 20% of the hammer price on any amount in excess of £100, 000 up to and including £1,800,000; Buyer's premium is 12% of the hammer price on any amount in excess of £1,800,000. As stated above, the revised thresholds are effective as of 1 February 2015.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This technique of depicting still lifes in engraved mother-of-pearl on a slate ground would seem to have been employed widely by the Dutch, following on from their own depictions of still lifes in paintings. Mother-of-pearl shells were imported into Amsterdam in large quantities and working them became a specialty of the city. Identified Dutch artists employing this technique on plaques include Jan Visscher (1633-after 1692) and Adriaen Brouwer (1605/1606-1638). However, mother-of-pearl plaques were also made by Germans, Jeremias Hercules (d. 1689), Dirck van Rijswijck (1596-1679) and Franz de Hamilton (active second half 17th century-early 18th century).

The present lot is an exciting new addition to the mother-of-pearl oeuvre of De Hamilton. He not only worked with mother-of-pearl but was also a painter of still lifes and animal subjects. He was the author of a portrait of Leopold I (1640-1705), Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and his third wife Elenore Magdalena (1655-1720) and also executed several still lives composed of mother-of-pearl on slate. One of his inlaid flower compositions with his initials F.D.H. is part of the wall decoration in the 'Florentine Room' at Schloss Favorite near Rastatt, the summer residence of Sybilla Augusta von Sachsen-Lauenberg (1675-1733), margravine of Baden Baden. Two other mother-of-pearl and slate plaques can be attributed to de Hamilton on the basis of their close similarity to the signed one at Schloss Favorite (one of a pair of plaques now in the Diozesanmuseum St. Afra, Augsburg).